A recently released
video chronicles American anthropologist Elizabeth Guillette's investigation
into the harmful side-effects of pesticide exposure on children. Playing
with Poison, a 46-minute film, asks many questions about the use of pesticides
and the effects they are having on our children, and shows how few answers
researchers have to offer.

Dr. Guillette studied
the children of the Yaqui Valley, one of Mexico's largest agricultural
areas, providing much of North America's fruits and vegetables, and has
had high pesticide use since the 1950s. She compared these children to
those of a town in the foothills which is nearly identical except it has
no agricultural industry and virtually no pesticide use. The children
exhibited significant and disturbing neurological differences; the valley
children are far behind those of the foothills in physical coordination,
energy and learning capabilities.

Playing with Poison
follows Dr. Guillette as she meets with eminent laboratory scientists
in her search for corroboration and possible solutions. The film also
explores the effects of household pesticides and the many ways in which
children are exposed to these harmful materials. There has been little
research done on the effects of pesticides on humans and her work is slowly
breaking new ground.

Playing with Poison
originally aired on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's The Nature
of Things. It is now available through Bullfrog Films at http://www.bullfrogfilms.com,
or by calling 1.800.543.FROG or
by email at [email protected].